At a Glance

The North Carolina coastline is steeped in centuries of fascinating history, and the region’s beautifully restored homes and manors each have a story to tell. Delve into the state’s riveting past as you explore Federalist architecture, immaculate gardens and lavish mansions from a bygone era. Discover the picturesque historic district of Swansboro, with centuries-old homes overlooking the ocean and get lost in the manicured gardens of a massive 16-acre estate. Join local experts to learn about North Carolina history and maritime culture as you journey from one historic home to the next.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking on gravel paths and hilly terrain.

Best of all, you'll ...

Explore the historic homes of New Bern, including the extravagant Tryon Palace.

In the quaint town of Beaufort, experience beautifully restored homes that predate the Civil War.

Join local experts on invigorating nature walks in the Outer Banks to learn about their unique barrier island ecology.

Featured Expert

All Experts

Rodney Kemp

A crowd-pleaser and proven spellbinder of adults and children alike, Rodney Kemp is a local boy who managed to remember all those tales he heard while growing up. Born in Knoxville, Tenn., Rodney earned a degree in journalism from Texas Tech University. He became a teacher and taught at Newport Elementary School and West Carteret High School, and is a member and chairman of the Carteret County Board of Education. An avid sportsman, Rodney has completed the running of 12 marathons since 1982.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Rodney Kemp

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Jay Barnes

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Becca Knudson

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Kelli Kaelin

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Suggested Reading List

View 3 books

Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas

by Blair Witherington

Georgia and the Carolinas beckon curious beachcombers with over 600 miles of wave-swept Atlantic coastline. These beaches offer more than a sandy stroll amidst stunning scenery—they are alive! As ever-changing ribbons of sand, these beaches foster unique life-forms and accept beguiling castaways from a vast marine wilderness. Mysteries abound. What is this odd creature? Why does the beach look this way? How did this strange item get here? Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas satisfies a beachcomber’s curiosity within a comprehensive yet easily browsed guide covering beach processes, plants, animals, minerals, and manmade objects. The guide is written in a familiar style and is illustrated with distribution maps and over a thousand color photos. (From Amazon.com)

North Carolina's Hurricane History

by Jay Barnes

Now in its third edition, North Carolina's Hurricane History is a popular illustrated history of the more than fifty great storms that have battered the Tar Heel state from the days of the first European explorers through 1999's devastating hurricane Floyd, which caused $6 billion in damages. Jay Barnes examined newspaper reports, National Weather Service records, and eyewitness descriptions to compile this extraordinary chronicle, which also features nearly 300 photographs, maps, and illustrations. (From Amazon.com)

Seaside Naturalist: A Guide to Study at the Seashore

by Deborah A. Coulombe

Illustrated guide book to plants and animals found on the Eastern coast. This is the go to book for our education staff when faced with unknown species from the sound or the sea.

Afternoon: Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the Registration Office to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Transportation will be provided via 15-passenger vans. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. In one of the conference rooms before dinner, get to know your fellow participants during a wine and hors d’oeuvre social from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Morning: Where are you? Enjoy a lecture with a staff naturalist about the barrier island system we call the Outer Banks. A narrow stretch of barrier islands along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks have a long history from the Roanoke Colony to the site of the Wright Brothers first successful flight in 1903. Then we take our knowledge outside for a barrier island ecology walk with our naturalist. Learn about the beautiful barrier island beach and estuary setting of our 62-acre reserve.

Afternoon: We set out for a field trip via 15-passenger vans to the historic Swansboro, North Carolina, founded in 1783, for a walking exploration of the “Friendly City by the Sea.” Offering a historic downtown overlooking the water, our field trip also includes a visit to the 150-year-old home known as the “Octagon House.” Once the land of an Indian camping ground – having found pottery and shell beds along the banks – the property was granted to Thomas Lee by King George III in 1713.

Dinner: Dining room buffet.

Evening: Today’s modern English language is steeped in the history and culture of past generations. Among the most significant influences on our language has been that of ancient mariners, whose nautical expressions have worked their way into our everyday conversations. We will be joined by an author and historian who will “show you the ropes” in his program that explores the etymology (word origins) of these words and phrases, and offers many surprising examples of “Nautical Terms in Everyday Use.”

DAY

3

Field Trip to New Bern, Tyron Palace & Other Historic Homes

Salter Path, NC

B,L,D

Trinity Conference Center

Activity note: Walking up to 5 miles on uneven and sandy surface; long periods of standing with benches and window seats at various sites.

Breakfast: Dining room buffet.

Morning: Set out this morning to New Bern, where we will visit and explore the Georgian-style mansion of the Royal Governor William Tryon – designed and built by London architect John Hawks in 1770 with docents in period dress. Home to the Tryon family, Tryon Palace also served as colonial capital of North Carolina. Following our exploration of the palace, stroll through the gardens on your own and step back nearly two centuries to the formal gardens of 18th century Britain. Designed in the 1950s by renowned landscape architect Morley Jeffers Williams, the Palace gardens encompass more than 16 acres of gardens and landscape.

Afternoon: Surrounding the Palace are several historic homes and buildings, including the Dixon House, Stanly House, and the Hay House. We will visit these homes that help tell the story of life in historic New Bern.

Dinner: Dining room buffet.

Evening: At leisure. Relax, play some board games around the fire place, or simply enjoy the slow southern charm of our property.

DAY

4

Field Trip Beaufort, Maritime Museum, Local Musicians

Salter Path, NC

B,L,D

Trinity Conference Center

Activity note: Walking up to 5 miles with opportunities to sit and rest at benches and periods of standing.

Breakfast: Dining room buffet.

Morning: Today, explore Beaufort, North Carolina's 3rd oldest town founded in 1709 with being accompanied by a member of the Beaufort Historical Association who will provide commentary throughout the morning. We’ll stroll down the holiday bedecked streets to see the many beautifully restored homes that pre-date the Civil War. Then climb aboard a double-decker bus to get a bird’s eye view of the historic homes.

Afternoon: Visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort for a taste of coastal cultures and maritime history. Learn about the state’s lighthouses and rich seafood industry in various exhibits that also include a collection of sailboats and motorboats. Located near the site where Blackbeard’s ship the “Queen Anne’s Revenge” ran aground in 1718, the museum is the official repository for artifacts from the ship.

Dinner: Dining room buffet.

Evening: In the comfort of the center, enjoy a performance by a collection of local musicians playing North Carolina coastal and mountain heritage music.

DAY

5

Local Historian, Program Concludes

Salter Path, NC

B,L

Breakfast: Dining room buffet.

Morning: Conclude your trip with one last lecture by our historian on local culture, history and linguistics.

Lunch: Dining room buffet. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Meals

12 Meals

4 Breakfasts

4 Lunches

4 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Vegetarian, Gluten Free

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

I enjoyed this program very much and met many interesting people. Becca Knudson kept us all happy and did a tremendous job in lining up our visits and making sure it all worked.
There is one thing that I have to call attention to that is historically incorrect. The property on which the Octagon House in Swansboro, NC was located was described "granted to Thomas Lee by King George III in 1713." This would have been impossible since King George III did not exist in 1713. That was the last year Queen Anne reigned and many years before King George III began to rule in 1760. Somehow this description has crept into an otherwise informative outline of the program.
If a correction is to be made may I suggest "granted to Thomas Lee by the British crown in 1713." This makes the designation of the monarch
incomplete but at least not inaccurate.
Thank you.
Tom Schlenker